Paddle to Holliday Creek

Credit: glass window

Dunster to McBride, August 10

Wildlife – herons, cedar waxwings, black bear, kingfishers and one salmon at the mouth of Holliday Creek (known as Baker Creek to locals)

I start the morning at the stern of the canoe, and keep my eyes focused on the water. Some of the participants take turns sitting at the bow, with the responsibility of setting a steady pace for the remaining paddlers. Our paddling is improving, and there is a greater sense of confidence in the paddlers both with their strokes and their movements in and around the canoe.

Holliday Creek is our lunch spot—and some participants immediately jump into the creek for a swim despite the overcast skies. Others slowly walk over the rocky shoreline heads bent in search of a rocky treasure.

The afternoon paddle is quiet and long, and we began to count the number of bends on the map to see how far it is to our campsite at McBride—after several dashed hopes we quietly rounded the last bend to see the orange life jacket hanging on a tree on river right—our designated marker for the campsite.